Balthus
, Baltazar |fullname =Balthus von Albrecht |jap_fullname = , Baltazar von Adalbrecht |alias =Almighty King of Grappling |jap_alias = |gender =Male |race =Human |age =27 (Pre-Timeskip) 32 (Post-Timeskip) |relatives =Chevalier (Ancestor) |nationality =Leicester Alliance |residence =Garreg Mach Monastery Abyss |home = |faction(s) =Ashen Wolves |occupation(s)= |game =Fire Emblem: Three Houses |firstseen =Cindered Shadows Chapter 1: The Fourth House |firstjoined = |firstfought =Cindered Shadows Chapter 1: The Fourth House |class =Noble |voiceby =Aaron Hedrick |jap_voiceby =Subaru Kimura |birthday = July 9th|fod_birth =9th of the Blue Sea Moon, Imperial year 1153}} Balthus is a character from Fire Emblem: Three Houses. He is an inhabitant of Abyss, and a member of the Ashen Wolves. Currently he's the only known bearer of the Crest of Chevalier. In Cindered Shadows or Abyss mode, Balthus is a main protagonist, alongside the other members of the Ashen Wolves. Profile The self-proclaimed "King of Grappling," Balthus of the Ashen Wolves has a rough-and-tumble personality. Running from his woes (and his debts), he's gone underground—literally—in Abyss. Despite his motivations, he's big-hearted and protects those he cares for. He is also the best friend of Holst, Hilda's older brother. Hilda had known him from childhood, refers to him as "Baltie" and tends to treat him as if he were another brother. Cindered Shadows Academy Phase War Phase Personality Despite his hearty and careless personality, Balthus can be quite insightful, as he's the only person who can not only keep up with Claude's defensiveness over his past and his prodding, but he even turns it back on him, leaving Claude genuinely indignant and hypocritically getting upset at Balthus for trying to get a read into his past. Balthus is on good terms with Holst and his younger sister Hilda, despite not being in contact with them for years. Balthus tries his best to take care of Hilda, even well after post-timeskip where he upholds the promise made to Holst years ago before hiding in Abyss. He also respects Holst's combat capabilities, stating that he wouldn't have a chance if he had to fight him. His friendship with the two is so great that in the Crimson Flower route, if he is sent to fight Hilda, he will attempt to have her stand down, to no avail. When Hilda points out that Holst would hold him responsible for her death, Balthus does not deny this, stating that if he did kill her, he would repay it by offering his life to him and ensuring her body would be returned home. He enjoys gambling and drinking, one of the primary reasons of him being in debt. Despite having numerous debts to repay, with some of these loaners demanding his death, Balthus refuses to rely on others to pay off their debts, intending to do so himself. In-Game Base Stats As an Enemy A Skirmish in Abyss Growth Rates |50% |50% |30% |25% |30% |20% |45% |30% |30% |} Maximum Stats |100 |71 |48 |39 |46 |35 |69 |43 |46 |} Learnt Magic |D |Fire |Heal |- |D+ | - |Nosferatu |- |C |Bolganone | - |- |C+ | - | - |- |B | - |Seraphim |- |B+ | - | - |- |A |Ragnarok |Restore |- |A+ | - | - |} Overall Balthus is the self styled King of Grappling, and as such it should come as no surprise that the brawling skill lines are his strengths, complemented by his aptitude in Axes, Swords, and Heavy Armor. This means he should have ready access to most non-mounted physical classes. His personal skill King of Grappling grants him +6 to both Strength and Defense when he is below half HP, giving him natural synergy with the Vantage and Wrath skills. It is highly recommended that he masters both the Mercenary and Warrior classes. As for any physical class, Death Blow should be acquired to strengthen Balthus's attack during the player phase. He is predisposed to end his class career in the War Master class, where he will enjoy excellent boosts to his growths as well as increased damage and critical rate due to its passive skills. Classing him as a Hero can also work wonders since it gives him Vantage for free, allowing him to take other abilities as a result. In terms of his stat growths, Balthus is similar to Raphael, Caspar and Hilda, having high Health, Strength, and Defense growths, but his Luck, Dexterity and Speed are all unimpressive (though he's thankfully not as slow as Raphael). His poor Dexterity is probably his biggest worry; even if he can dish out loads of damage, that does him no good if he can't hit anything. His weakness in Bows may also exacerbate this, making it hard to acquire Hit +20 to offset his accuracy issues. As such, it is advised to give him a battalion that can compensate for his inaccuracy. Balthus has a budding talent in reason and a strength in Faith, which is supposed to encourage the player to make him spend time in the War Monk class. However, his magic growths are shoddy and his spell list is subpar, so there is little reason for him to pursue this class, as Grappler and Warrior will provide much more for him. Overall, Balthus joins the likes of Raphael and Caspar as a potent bruiser, but has more versatility than either of them due to his strengths in magic (even if his Magic stat is below-par). This comes at a bit of a cost to his accuracy and luck, but he makes up for it with power and stamina. Supports *Byleth (S-Support with female Byleth) *Claude *Lysithea *Hilda *Yuri *Constance *Hapi Quotes Three Houses :Balthus/Quotes Possible Endings Balthus - King Of Grappling ' : ''"Balthus disappeared shortly after the war, but rumors of his exploits swirled for a long time thereafter. Some say he returned to Kupala, where he became a protector of the mountain folk. Others say he remained right under Garreg Mach's nose as a prominent underworld figure. Whatever the truth, the tale of his domination in the first- ever All-Fódlan Tournament Brawl is likely too persistent to be a fabrication." '''Balthus – King Of Grappling (Crimson Flower) : "After the war for Fódlan, Balthus whole-heartedly joined the battle against those who slither in the dark. The devastation he wrought in the Battle of Shambhala was immortalized in a tapestry, entitled "Avatar of War," and passed down through the generations. Afterward, it is said he returned to Kupala and became a protector of the mountain folk." Balthus and Byleth (Crimson Flower) : "Almost as soon as Byleth and Balthus finished their lively wedding celebration, the battle with those who slither in the dark began in earnest. Leading from the front lines, the couple drove the enemy back again and again, causing such carnage on the battlefield that even their Imperial allies and subordinates were intimidated. After hostilities came to an end, their names faded from official historical records but persisted in folk tales. Of the stories that spread to every corner of Fódlan and survive to this day, the most prominent one features criminals who threaten to abduct a traveler's wife. The traveler laughs and wishes them the best of luck." Balthus and Byleth (Azure Moon) : "After taking her place as the new archbishop of the Church of Seiros, Byleth announced her marriage to Balthus. The people were reluctant to accept this union at first, considering his reputation, but his natural charisma in speeches and his ability to exceed expectations eventually won their blessing. Though mostly noted for his strength and dedication as a bodyguard, Balthus also provided counsel. It is said that many civil and diplomatic reforms owe their origins to his advice." Balthus and Byleth (Verdant Wind/Silver Snow) : "After ascending to the throne as the first leader of the United Kingdom of Fódlan, Byleth announced her marriage to Balthus. The people were reluctant to accept this union at first, considering his reputation, but his natural charisma in speeches and his ability to exceed expectations eventually won their blessing. Though mostly noted for his strength and dedication as a bodyguard, Balthus also provided counsel. It is said that many civil and diplomatic reforms owe their origins to his advice." Balthus and Claude : "Perhaps unexpectedly, Balthus accompanied Claude upon his return to his homeland of Almyra. While Claude assumed the role of a politically active prince, Balthus spent his days drinking, flirting, and brawling. As soon as Claude inherited the throne, however, all that changed. In the blink of an eye, Balthus became son-in-law to the great commander, Nader, and took up a position of military command in service to Claude's stated goal to improve relations with Fódlan. To foster trust, Claude frequently sent Balthus into Fódlan on missions to help quell revolts begun by Imperial loyalists." Balthus and Hilda : "Most of Balthus's debts vanished in the chaos after the war, and those few that remained were paid off with what he had earned in the fighting. Free to do as he pleased, he sought out Hilda, and the two of them went on an adventure around the world. Crossing Fódlan's Throat, they journeyed through and beyond Almyra, where they are said to have found a kingdom of gold in the far east. Though the details of their adventure are largely lost, one anecdote firmly remains. To win Holst's blessing to take his sister out of Fódlan, Balthus had to beat him in a duel." Balthus and Lysithea : "Balthus accompanied Lysithea home to help her parents restore their family land, securing the aid of his younger brother, who happened to be lord of a nearby domain. Years later, when the end to their hard work was finally in sight, Lysithea relinquished House Ordelia's claim to nobility, ceding the territory to a nearby lord. Shortly thereafter, Balthus brought her and her family to Kupala, in Fódlan's Throat. There, they fell in love and lived peaceful, happy lives blending in with the mountain folk." Balthus and Yuri : "After the war, Yuri returned to the underworld. Some time after assuming control of the illicit markets, he happened upon Balthus, who had become so down on his luck that he had collapsed in an alley. Yuri helped Balthus back to his feet and offered him work as a bodyguard. While Balthus first accepted just to get by, he came to enjoy the lifestyle so much that he remained at Yuri's side for the rest of his days. The underworld kingpin and the Indomitable King of Grappling made such an impression on the world that their names were feared for centuries." Balthus and Constance (Crimson Flower) : "Constance was the first to receive peerage from Emperor Edelgard, and though Balthus sometimes chafed from being at the mercy of his wife’s whims, the couple worked diligently to solidify the new social order under Imperial rule. House Nuvelle was given no guarantee of continued power on a hereditary basis but nevertheless achieved lasting status as a leader in the magical arts." Balthus and Constance (Other routes) : "For her service in war, and her innovations in magic, Constance von Nuvelle was among the first to receive peerage in the new Fódlan. The very next day, she and Balthus were wed, and the couple set about the restoration of House Nuvelle. For their domain, they claimed not the land once ruled by that house, but rather an area in the east of Leicester that encompassed Kupala. There, they became known as advocates for the mountain folk, and as nobles who lived moment to moment as outlandishly as they pleased." Balthus and Hapi : "Shortly after the war, Hapi and Balthus disappeared. Their absence from the world stage was not lasting, however, as before long they emerged as the leaders of an elite band of mercenaries. The group traveled all over Fódlan helping those in need, with a noted specialty in handling monsters. It is said that these mercenaries lived raucously, laughing often, and that not a single sigh of discontent was ever heard. Some years later, when those who slither in the dark returned to threaten Fódlan once again, these mercenaries were instrumental in dealing with them." Non-Canon Appearances Etymology Balthazar (also spelled Balthasar, Balthassar, or Baltazar) means "Bel protects the King". It is an alternate form of the Babylonian king Belshazzar. It is the name commonly attributed to one of the Three Wise Men. Gallery Ashen Wolves Painting.jpg|Official artwork of Balthus and the other Ashen Wolves. Balthus SRank.png|CG artwork of Balthus at S support. Balthus Portrait.png|Balthus's portrait in Three Houses. Balthus Portrait 5 Years.png|Balthus' portrait after the time skip. Category:Fire Emblem: Three Houses Characters Category:Playable characters